Council's Annual Report 2022-2023
Well-being Objective 4
To further modernise and develop as a resilient and efficient Council (Our Council)
Overarching judgement
In March 2023, the Council formally launched its new approach to transformation via the adoption of its first Transformation Strategy. The Strategy will provide the strategic framework that will underpin the implementation of a significant programme of change and transformation across the organisation over the course of the next 5 years. The main focus of this programme will be to further accelerate the process of modernisation across the Council, and allow us to continue to deliver high quality, cost-effective services within the context of a challenging external environment.
Eight Workstreams have been established to progress the key priorities outlined within the Transformation Strategy and good progress is already being made in implementing these work programmes
Why is this important?
- In March 2020, we entered one of the most challenging periods ever faced by local government with the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging from the crisis, there was a recognition that ‘things would never quite be the same’ and we would not be in the same organisation that we had been.
- We therefore wanted to capture the learning from our response to the pandemic; what worked well/did not work so well, and how this could potentially change ‘what we do’ and ‘how we do it’ in the future.
- This is now an opportunity to re-set or go back to basics in using some core principles that underpin service delivery.
- Findings from a staff consultation in 2022 indicate that the vast majority of respondents feel proud of the way we responded as an organisation to the pandemic. Additionally, the majority feel ready to move forward and work in a post-COVID world. Mostly, staff agree that they were well led during the pandemic, however a lower proportion agreed that they feel valued for the contributions they made during this time.
OUTCOME: To further modernise and develop the Council’s ways of working.
PROGRESS: ⇑ One of the key aims of the Transformation Programme is to develop smarter and more efficient ways of working, especially through the use of technology. A programme of work is already underway to automate a number of paper-based processes.
OUTCOME: Support the development of the Council as a modern, diverse, inclusive and responsive organisation and be an ‘Employer of Choice’.
PROGRESS: ⇑ A Workforce Strategy has been developed during the year, and this will provide the strategic framework to support in delivering on a number of workforce related priorities and to become an ‘Employer of Choice’.
OUTCOME: Listen to our staff through regular staff engagement and empower them to improve their own service areas.
PROGRESS: ⇑ A Staff Survey was undertaken during 2022/23 and a summary report on findings and actions has also been communicated to staff. These findings have also been used to inform the work of an Employee Engagement Task & Finish Group who have developed a Corporate Communications Plan which outlines a range of staff communication and engagement initiatives.
OUTCOME: Ensure local and regional partnership working is efficient and effective and adds value to the work of the Council.
PROGRESS: ⇑ The Carmarthenshire Public Services Board has worked well during the year to develop its new Well-being Plan for the period 2023-28. Collaboration with regional colleagues in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire have also worked well with sharing of resources to progress certain elements.
The Safer Communities, Serious Violence & Organised Crime and Contest Boards have also worked well at a Carmarthenshire and Dyfed Powys basis with collaboration with a range of partners on a range of community safety focused activity.
OUTCOME: Increased public engagement through engagement, participation and consultation.
PROGRESS: ⇑ Increased numbers of respondents to Council consultations is a positive indicator of progress. There is further work to be done to improve our feedback methods post-consultation and to broaden our early engagement and participation methods. This is identified as an action for 2023-24.
OUTCOME: A more commercial approach to the delivery of Council services with a view to increasing the level of income generated.
PROGRESS: ⇑ A dedicated workstream has been established within the Transformation Programme to identify opportunities to generate more income through adopting a more commercial approach to the delivery of Council services. Discussions are being held with services to inform the development of a Commercialisation business case and delivery plan which will be considered by Cabinet in September 2023.
OUTCOME: Embrace and promote agile working, hybrid meetings and new ways of working across the organisation, by being more sustainable and creative to improve Council services.
PROGRESS: ⇑ The Transformation Workplace workstream has been examining how we can rationalise our accommodation portfolio, whilst modernising and improving the workspaces in our retained core buildings. Since the pandemic, most offices have been less than a third full, with staff increasingly needing different types of space to meet, work and collaborate. In the current financial climate building rationalisation is an effective way to save money while protecting front line services. Reducing the Council’s estate will also help save spends on utilities and contribute to us achieving our net zero carbon objectives. A successful rationalisation pilot has already taken place with Housing and Education & Children’s Services (E&CS) staff in Llanelli. The number of staff based at Parc Dewi Sant in Carmarthen will be reduced over the next 12 months. Staff will be relocated to Spilman Street and County Hall.
OUTCOME: Deliver organisational change that supports key Net Zero Carbon targets.
PROGRESS: ⇑ A Net Zero Carbon Plan will be developed by April 2023 which will set out how the Council intends to meet its carbon reduction targets by 2030. The Transformation Programme will have a key role to play in facilitating the organisational change required to deliver the commitments within the NZC Plan.
OUTCOME: Ensuring the Council is using its resources economically, efficiently and effectively.
PROGRESS: ⇑ During 2022/23, the Council was one of the first authorities in Wales to produce its 2021/22 statement on accounts and receive an unqualified audit report.
Against an extremely challenging economic backdrop of high inflation and unprecedented wage growth not seen for a generation, the council delivered a small underspend against budgets.
The council met its target to pay 95% of suppliers within 30 days, but narrowly missed its treasury investment returns goal due to the nature of rising interest rates.
Departmental Self Assessments have been introduced which include an evaluation of economy, efficiency and effectiveness
OUTCOME: Embedding the sustainable development principle in all that the Council does.
PROGRESS: ⇑ The requirements of the Well-Being of Future Generations Act have underpinned the approach to both the development and implementation of the Transformation Programme. Development work on the Integrated Impact Assessment during the year will be implemented during 2023-24 and will ensure the sustainable development principle is fully embedded.
Eight Workstreams have been established to progress the key priorities outlined within the Transformation Strategy, they are:
- Efficiencies and Value for Money
To continue to deliver financial savings through efficiencies or cost reductions and smarter ways of working. - Income & Commercialisation
To develop a more commercial approach to the delivery of Council services with a view to increasing the level of income generated. - Workplace
To exploit the opportunities presented by a move to hybrid working and to further rationalise the Council’s accommodation portfolio and modernise and improve the working environment within the remaining core buildings - Workforce
To oversee the development of a Workforce Strategy and delivery of key workforce priorities to enable the Council to become a more modern and responsive organisation and an ‘Employer of Choice’. - Service Design & Improvement
To provide for a more sustainable and creative approach to the review, remodelling and improvement of Council services. - Customers & Digital Transformation
To continue to make better use of technology to deliver smarter, efficient service processes and to deliver a better experience for customers. - Decarbonisation and Biodiversity
To support the Council in delivering transformational change in support of key decarbonisation objectives and targets. - Schools
To assist schools in identifying cost reductions and better ways of working and support the development of more sustainable school budgets and help protect front line academic provision.
Following the Local Government elections in 2023, it was agreed that this would be an opportune time to review the Council’s approach to transformation and ensure that the programme was fully aligned with the aims and objectives of the new Corporate Strategy.
This would also look to build on the work of the Council’s TIC Programme which had been the main vehicle for delivering on organisational support for transformation and change since 2012 and allow the Council to maximise the opportunities presented by the response to the COVID-19 pandemic to further transform and modernise our ways of working, especially using technology.
The roll out of this new approach would be underpinned by the development and implementation of a Transformation Strategy. This is the first time that the Council that has produced a Transformation Strategy, and it is intended that this will provide the strategic framework to drive a programme of significant change and transformation across the organisation over the next 5 years.
The Transformation Strategy was reported to Cabinet in February 2023 and launched in March 2023 and now provides the strategic framework to support the delivery of eight thematic priorities:
- Efficiencies and Value for Money
- Income & Commercialisation
- Workplace
- Workforce
- Service Design & Improvement
- Customers & Digital Transformation
- Decarbonisation and biodiversity
- Schools.
Workstream Delivery Groups have now been established to support the implementation of each of the transformation priorities and these will be led by a Director/Head of Service.
For progress and data on this thematic priority see pages 139-143 -
